Restore problems

[Mist]

Hi and Happy New Year, everyone.

A rootkit sneaked through the defenses in December with very bad results. I've been restoring since. Aside from losing newsgroups here, settings were also lost.

Here are some of the problems:

How to initiate a second and third server.

My primary server is bignews which seems to be working fairly well.
Problem is in newsgroup: rec.models.railroad and newsgroup: rec.boats.sailing.
I know both of those to be active but they're not coming down to me.

Secondary server is news.grc.com (port 110).
When I do get something here, they daily go back anywhere from 500 to over 2,000 days with nothing current.
I also know these to be active.

I've checked username, password, and settings for all. Except where noted everything is default - not that smart to make changes yet.

I also have a cross-listing mixing bignews with grc.news under each newsgroup even if the newsgroup doesn't belong to that server and vice versa.

Everything was working before the December disaster so I'm overlooking something but for the life of me I can't find it.

Is there a detailed doc file more extensive than the Help File? So many checks and buttons to learn.

Appreciate the help,
Mist

[alex]

In edit menu->task manager look for the red question sign tab (second after the headers tab).

You may see some errors, maybe firewall blocs UE access to the servers.

[Mist]

No, red question marks anywhere. Have never seen one of them - lucky me. I know what you mean.

I've also checked the firewall and other blockers. No help there either.

Mist

[alex]

Do you see green computer icon tab next to the right of the "headers" tab?

If you click it do you see some tasks with no progress? If no tasks the icon has grey color instead of green.

Any tasks in the "Headers" tab?

[Mist]

In Workplace I click to get the headers. I get the green light and a "Connecting" in the Task manager's "Headers." All of that is very brief and produces nothing (no download).

Everywhere else I click, I see the green light, notification of connect, and files start to flow.

Would it help if I sent graphics of what I'm seeing (how I'm set up)?

[alex]

Try to reset headers from edit menu->workspace (the leftmost pane) or newsgroup context menu, or, if you want to keep older headers, just reset header ranges in the workspace, context menu->advanced.

You can also check header ranges from the workspace context menu before resetting them (advanced->header range properties) whether something is wrong there.

If there is no error (question tab doesn't turn red) maybe servers have different numbering and UE thinks headers are up to date.

Also check what are retention/headers per server settings in edit menu->properties->newsgroups.

[Mist]

I'm back. Had to go out of town.

Try to reset headers from edit menu->workspace (the leftmost pane) or newsgroup context menu, or, if you want to keep older headers, just reset header ranges in the workspace, context menu->advanced.

You can also check header ranges from the workspace context menu before resetting them (advanced->header range properties) whether something is wrong there.

If there is no error (question tab doesn't turn red) maybe servers have different numbering and UE thinks headers are up to date.

Also check what are retention/headers per server settings in edit menu->properties->newsgroups.

I did menu->advanced.

Below are the header ranges. I don't know what I'm looking at so for you.
I reset all of them then tried each one individually for the results: Ok, Zip, etc.

Information is from the menu->properties->newsgroups.

Group: alt.binaries.pictures.rail Think OK
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 1095052 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 846778-1105051 Num.articles 258274

Group: alt.binaries.pictures.railroad 1516-1680 days old
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 20889 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 18962-30888 Num.articles 11927

The two above, one of which I used prior to the disaster - can't recall which.


Group: misc.transport.rail.americas 347-1491 old. Known good prior to disaster.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 218743 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 173089-228742 Num.articles 55654

***************

Group: alt.sailing Zip Known good prior to disaster.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 0 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 27837-28677 Num.articles 841

Group: alt.sailing.asa Zip Known good prior to disaster.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 0 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 467590-480628 Num.articles 13039

Group: rec.boats.building Zip Known good prior to disaster.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 0 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 97957-102523 Num.articles 4567

Group: rec.boats.cruising 850-1325
Known good now but not for me. Talked to a poster last night I know.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 227276 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 195149-237275 Num.articles 42127

Group: rec.boats.electronics Zip Known good prior to disaster.
bignews:
Program: Range: [undefined] Last: 0 Catch up: [not set]
Server: Range: 51264-54596 Num.articles 3333

Mist

[alex]

what are retention/headers per server settings in edit menu->properties->newsgroups?

retention try to change to "natural" and header per servers to "all", then reset (or it will ask to reset when you change settings) and try to get headers.

[alex]

what are retention/headers per server settings in edit menu->properties->newsgroups?

retention try to change to "natural" and header per servers to "all", then reset (or it will ask to redownload all headers when you change settings) and try to get headers again.

[Mist]

what are retention/headers per server settings in edit menu->properties->newsgroups?

retention try to change to "natural" and header per servers to "all", then reset (or it will ask to redownload all headers when you change settings) and try to get headers again.

Retention/headers settings are the default - 120d0h for everything.

Changed to Natural. It asked to redownload. I said OK.

Only changed the groups I'm having problems with not the good ones.

In testing each, no change from previous. I see the green light, a connection apprarently tries to be made, but nothing close to current for any of them. Some still show nothing at all.

Sorry to be such a drag here.

Mist

[alex]

If you want you can create a new database (edit menu->general, database folder, change), add one server and one newsgroup, set retention/headers per server to natural/all, then ensure it doesn't get headers as expected, rar the database and email it to me, I'll check it here, whether it is the firewall or server, will be much faster. To exclude the possibility of firewall better to use SSL connection if available, then no way there will be no error unless it is the server issue (groups empty or the server doesn't return headers).

[Mist]

Alex,

You won't believe this. I'm not sure that I do.

Had insomnia last night so was up early. In a semi-awake state I fired up UE. Clicked the Railroad and Sailing groups just for kicks not expecting anything different. OMG! Everything flowed down from 500+ days ago down to the second for all. I didn't touch a thing different. Why? What happened? I don't know but I'm certainly not complaining. I'm not planning on messing either. Will it hold? I hope so but time will tell.

Very important question if it does turn out to be stable. What governs or what and where are the "brains" for UE? I'd like to make sure it is saved aside from the normal backup. With some programs there is a master .INI file that holds the information.

Having one server set up, what is the best way to set up one or two more? A first grade approach here would be appreciated. Don't want to blow it now.

Thanks and hoping,
Mist

[Mist]

Alex,

Happy to report all is still well. Have everything current. There is joy in Mudville.

Still would like to have the info requested in my last post about setup.

Thanks for everything.

Mist

[alex]

Maybe it was a problem with your usenet provider.

Not all providers support headers well, some don't have headers at all.

If you have two providers check if it downloads headers from both, more likely only one is now working.